An All-around Summer Beach Workout

One of my favorite summer activities is going to the beach with my kids, and digging a large kiddie-pool-size hole in the sand for them to play in. Well, as you can imagine, it can be a really good workout too.

In addition to digging holes in the sand, there are a lot of other fun ways for people of all fitness levels to get a burning workout at the beach. And many of these exercises can be done with the family, such as jogging on the sand, swimming in the ocean or stand-up paddleboarding.

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Photo 1a: Fitness trainer Matt Jones demonstrates the correct way to do a walking lunge at the beach.
PHOTOS BY NATHALIE WALKER

This week, fitness trainer Matt Jones shares some other ideas to get your body moving at the beach.

* Walking Lunges (see photo 1A): Lunge one foot forward, making sure your ankle and knee are in a straight line, as well as your neckbone and tailbone. Your other knee should drop down under the hip. “This works your quadriceps and glutes,” notes Jones. “If you want to work the butt more, take a longer stride. And make sure your knee does not go over your toes (see photo 1B).”

* Mountain Climbers (see photos 2A and 2B): With your body in a push-up position, bring one knee up toward your chest and then alternate legs continuously for 30 seconds. Rest and repeat. “The sand is actually an advantage for this exercise because you’re going to lessen the impact,” adds Jones. “You can even do it where there’s no impact by sliding your legs up and down with your feet in the sand.”

You also can go running in the water, especially at beaches where there are no rocks, such as in Kailua. Or if there’s a wall nearby, such as at Ala Moana Beach, Jones suggests doing wall push-ups. “You really can get a full-body workout at the beach,” he says.

yting@midweek.com

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